Week 50

DAY246

L51-5: Predicting the future

Bagrit foresaw a time when computers would be small enough to hold in the hand, when they would be capable of providing information about traffic jams and suggesting alternative routes, when they would be used in hospitals to help doctors to diagnose illnesses, when they would relieve office workers and accountants of dull, repetitive clerical work.

知识点：

单词：

foresee英音 /fɔː'siː/ 美音 /fɔr'si/

vt. to think or know that something is going to happen in the future预知；预见

eg.The disaster could not have been foreseen.

diagnose英音/'daɪəgnəʊz/ 美音 /ˌdaɪəɡ'nos/

v. to find out what illness someone has, or what the cause of a fault is, after doing tests, examinations etc诊断，断定，判断

eg. She was diagnosed with breast cancer.

diagnose somebodyas (having)something

diagnose something as something

diagnose somebody with something

accountant英音 /ə'kaʊnt(ə)nt/ 美音 /ə'kaʊntənt/

n. someone whose job is to keep and check financial accounts, calculate taxes etc会计人员, 会计师

repetitive英音 /rɪ'petɪtɪv/ 美音 /rɪ'pɛtətɪv/

adj. done many times in the same way, and boring重复的, 啰嗦的

• repetitive work/tasks/jobs

eg. repetitive tasks like washing and ironing

clerical英音 /'klerɪk(ə)l/ 美音 /'klɛrɪkl/ adj.

1.relating to office work, especially work such as keeping records or accounts文书的，办公室工作的

2.relating to the clergy牧师的,教士的

长难句、语法：

并列的四个when引导的定语从句修饰a time，后面三个when they的they指代第一个从句中的computers。

精妙翻译：

巴格瑞特预示有一天计算机可以小到拿在手上，计算机可以提供有关交通阻塞的信息，并建议可供选择的其他路线，计算机在医院里可以帮助医生诊断病情，计算机可以使办公室人员和会计免除那些枯燥、重复的劳动。

DAY247

L51-6: Predicting the future

All these computer uses have become commonplace. Of course, Leon Bagrit could not possibly have foreseen the development of the Internet, the worldwide system that enables us to communicate instantly with anyone in any part of the world by using computers linked to telephone networks.

知识点：

单词：

commonplace英音 /'kɒmənpleɪs/ 美音 /'kɑmən'ples/

adj. happening or existing in many places, and therefore not special or unusual普通的, 平庸的

eg.Car thefts are commonplace in this part of town.

n. something that has been said so often that it is no longer interesting or original陈腔滥调, 老生常谈

eg.the usual commonplace remarks老生常谈

something that happens or exists in many places, so that it is not unusual寻常的事物, 平常的东西

eg.One-parent families are now a commonplace in our society.

词组：

any part of the world 世界上任何一个地方

become commonplace司空见惯

=common occurrence司空见惯

句式：

can't/couldn't possibly 强调不能或不可能

后面跟动词 can /could possibly+v 强调竭尽全力……，没有动词省略动词时,则是possibly can/could

长难句、语法：

Of course, Leon Bagrit could not possibly have foreseen the development of the Internet, the worldwide system that enables us to communicate instantly with anyone in any part of the world by using computers linked to telephone networks.

• the Internet, the worldwide system that...后面这个短语是进一步说明the Internet，是它的同位语；而that引导的定语从句修饰the worldwide system。

精妙翻译：

Of course, Leon Bagrit could not possibly have foreseen the development of the Internet, the worldwide system that enables us to communicate instantly with anyone in any part of the world by using computers linked to telephone networks.

• 当然了,莱昂·巴格瑞特根本没有可能预测到国际交互网——就是把计算机连接到电话线路上，以便和世界上任何一个地方的人立即进行联系的一个世界范围的通讯系统——的发展。

• 译者翻译时把“using computers linked to telephone networks”译在了前面、把“the worldwide system”译在了后面，符合中文习惯；同时，把“system”翻译成“通讯系统”属于补充翻译，和前面的“国际交互网”前后呼应。

DAY248

L51-7: Predicting the future

Nor could he have foreseen how we could use the Internet to obtain information on every known subject, so we can read it on a screen in our homes and even print it as well if we want to. Computers have become smaller and smaller, more and more powerful and cheaper and cheaper. This is what makes Leon Bagrit's predictions particularly remarkable. If he, or someone like him, were alive today, he might be able to tell us what to expect in the next fifty years.

知识点：

词组：

more and more powerful

=increasingly/even more powerful

句式：

Nor could he have foreseen how …

• 否定词在前使用部分倒装句式。助动词提前

• nor……也不……

长难句、语法：

Nor could he have foreseen how we could use the Internet to obtain information on every known subject, so we can read it on a screen in our homes and even print it as well if we want to.

• so后有can是目的状语从句

DAY249

L52-1: Mud is mud

My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously shaped bottle on permanent display in his study. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green, an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick greyish substance. If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud. If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.

知识点：

单词：

permanent /'pɜːm(ə)nənt/美 /'pɝmənənt/形容词 Something that is permanent lasts forever. 永久的

eg. ...a permanent solution to the problem.…

一个解决该问题的永久性办法。

tint英 /tɪnt/美 /tɪnt/

1.可数名词 A tint is a small amount of colour. 少许色彩

eg. Its large leaves often show a delicate purple tint.

它的大叶子常现出一种柔和的淡紫色。

2.及物动词 If something is tinted, it has a small amount of a particular colour or dye in it. 使略有…色彩; 给…淡淡地染色

eg. Eyebrows can be tinted with the same dye.

眉毛可淡淡地染成相同的颜色

辨析tint，dye，stain，colour染

tint

微微染色slightly change the color of sth

dye

染色，浸染color sth esp by dipping in a liquid

marry had a goat

stain

渍染，着色，color（wood，fabric亚麻）with a substance that penetrates the material

colour

万用染色put color by painting or staining

observant 英 /əb'zɜːv(ə)nt/美/əb'zɝvənt/

形容词 Someone who is observant pays a lot of attention to things and notices more about them than most people do. 善于观察的

• observant=perceptive；

• eagle-eyed善于观察的，敏锐的

• powers of observation观察力

eg. That's a good description, Mrs. Drummond. You're very observant.

描述得很好，德拉蒙德太太。你很善于观察。

greyish 美 /'greɪʃ/adj.形容词 Greyish means slightly grey in colour. 浅灰色的

eg. The building was of greyish plaster and looked old.

那座建筑涂着浅灰色的灰泥而且看起来很旧。

• greyish英grayish美式

• =slightly grey灰了吧唧的

扩：yellowish，reddish，bluish，greenish，blackish，whitish

词组：

mud is mud习语

=call a spade a spade/speid/黑桃牌

有啥说啥,直言不讳

=tell it like it is实话实说

=tell sb straight

=to be honest/frank

=frankly

curiously-shaped bottle 形状奇怪的瓶子

a delicate shade of green 淡绿色

on permanent display一直陈列在

on display=on show

on temporary display

on static display静止陈列

rub sth with sth把……涂抹到…上

rub sth into sth

rub salt into the would伤口上撒盐

句式：

sb keep sth on permanent display in sp

If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle,he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud. (if you were to ask 用was/were 加动词不定式来表示过去预计发生并且发生了的事情。）

DAY250

L52-2: Mud is mud

This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have. The bottle really does contain perfumed mud. How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating. Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist. He would invent fanciful names on the spot.

知识点：

单词：

dispel/diˈspel/ v 消除

eg. managed to dispel my doubts 极力消除我的怀疑

outlandish/autˈlændi/ adj.稀奇古怪的

辨析：strange， peculiar， odd， queer， quaint， outlandish， singular， eccentric， curious

这些形容词描述与通常或习惯不同的事物。

Strange尤指不熟悉的，不知道的或无法解释的事物

Peculiar尤用来描述与所有他物不同之物

Odd形容与普通、平常的或预料不一致的某物。

Queer/kwiə(r)/形容与标准或正常有很大差别的事物。 但与odd两个词都能表示奇异或特殊

eg. I find it odd that his name is never mentioned.

很奇怪他的名字从未被提及过。

Quaint指令人愉快的或旧时的特性

Outlandish指外域的或怪异的奇异：

eg. “They were dressed in a quaint, outlandish fashion” (Washington Irving).

“他们的穿着风格怪异” （华盛顿·欧文）

Singular描述独一无二的或无可比拟之事物；该词常指引起好奇心或惊奇的不平常的或特别的特性：

eg. Such poise is singular in one so young.

这样年青的人便表现出这样的泰然自若真是让人惊异。

Eccentric尤指与认可的或习俗的有巨大差别的事物：

eg. Many consider Berlioz's compositions to be innovative but eccentric.

许多人认为柏辽兹的作品富有创新力，但与习俗格格不入。

Curious指能够激起兴趣的奇异或新奇：

eg. Americans living abroad often acquire a curious hybrid accent.

生活在国外的美国人常有一种奇怪的混杂口音

acquisition/ˌækwiˈziʃən/ n.获得(可以指泛泛的概念)

the acquisition of sth. (通常形式)既包括精神上的也包括物质上的

eg. He devotes his time to the acquisition of knowledge.

The acquisition of confidence is essential.

The acquisition of skills is necessary in the modern society.

acquirement 仅指精神上的获得

the acquisition/acquirement of knowledge知识的获得

the acquisition of money 金钱的获得

拓展

• acquire get gain obtain 获得技能，信息勇气

acquire confidence /courage/knowledge/skills

cosmetic/kɔzˈmetik/

n.化妆品;

cosmetic surgery 整容手术

adj.

1.装饰而非实用性

eg.cosmetic fenders on cars.

汽车上的装饰性栏杆

2.缺少深度或重要性的；肤浅的；表面的：

eg. made a few cosmetic changes when she took over the company.

她接管公司后做了一些表面化的改革

outrageous /autˈreidʒəs/adj.

1.无理的

eg.He found my offer outrageous.

2.过分的：不合乎任何情理的；放肆的或过分的：

eg.spends an outrageous amount on entertainment.

把钱过度地花在娱乐上

fanciful/ˈfænsifəl/adj.想象出来的 等于imaginable

拓展动词：imagining doing / fancying doing

词组：

come into the possession of sth.占有，得到

eg. How Harry married his beautiful wife makes an interesting story.Harry是怎么样娶了这样一位漂亮的妻子还有一段有趣的故事。got(took) possession of 拥有

be fond of sth/doing sth 热衷于（做）某事

cure sb of ... 治好某人的......

develop a habit 养成习惯

consider it a great joke to do sth. 把做某事看作是巨大的乐趣,是件开心的事.

consider it great fun

consider it great amusement

consider it a great joy

on the spot 当场，当时

句式：

dispel any further doubts

长难句、语法：

The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.

does在这里表示强调。用于强调的do通常只用于现在时或过去式(即只有do, does, did这样的形式)，其后的动词要用原形。不能用于进行时、完成时等形式(如不用于is doing, has done等)。

How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff （How 引出主语从句） makes an interesting story which （which 引出定于从句）he is fond of relating.

哈里是如何得到这种稀奇古怪的东西的,这里有个有趣的故事,而且他还挺爱把它讲给别人听.

精妙翻译：

How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.

哈里是如何得到这种稀奇古怪的东西的,这里有个有趣的故事,而且他还挺爱把它讲给别人听.对于两个从句的翻译，非常干净利落。增添了是、这里，从而拆分成两个短句，避免头重脚轻。之后的定语从句用“并且”过渡，自然又衔接紧密。